Newsletter #2- November 2022

Welcome to the second issue of my newsletter!

I am writing this newsletter piece by piece during my downtime while on a YAGM retreat to Galilee. The retreat started unofficially on Thanksgiving day, when we all got together at the home of our country coordinators, Adam and Jordan, and prepared a Thanksgiving meal together. It was comforting to be together for a tradition from back home that doesn't exist here, but at the same time was a bit strange to be celebrating a holiday that is specific to the North American context and history while living in the Middle East.

It has been two months since my last newsletter, and so much has happened since then. (If you're interested in hearing from me more frequently, consider following my blog - there is a button on the left sidebar where you can follow to be notified of new blog posts.) Since my last newsletter, I have moved into the home I where will be staying for the remainder of the year, I have started volunteer work at both of my volunteer sites - Dar Al-Kalima school and the Environmental Education Center - and I have begun to build community in Palestine. I have been enjoying the amount of walking I am able to do around the Bethlehem area - I will often decompress by walking wherever I need to go and just taking in all the sights, sounds, and smells. Every time I do this, I take a moment just to feel gratitude for the opportunity to spend time in such an amazing place. I was amazed at how quickly I felt at home in my community - now that I have settled into a rhythm, everything feels right, like this is where I was meant to be.  

One of the communities I have become a part of is Right To Movement (pictured above). The organization has groups that meet all over Palestine to gather for running and other forms of group movement. A few weeks ago was the 10th anniversary celebration, where people came together from all the groups throughout the region to hike, do some maintenance work for a youth village to the west of Ramallah, and eat a meal together. Right To Movement welcomes both Palestinians and internationals into community, and has become a place of comfort and support for me. I am grateful to have found a sense of home with these people.

We are approaching the end of the olive harvest season in Palestine. During the months of October and November, many Palestinians gather around their families' trees to harvest olives that mostly go to be pressed into oil (the best olive oil in the world). I feel lucky to have been able to participate in harvests several times over the past two months (read more about that experience here!). Participating in this tradition has also been a tangible way to learn about the effects of the Israeli occupation on Palestinian families. Many Palestinians I have spoken to during this harvest season are unsure of whether they will continue to be able to harvest from these trees that have been in their families for generations; as Israel continues to claim land and build illegal settlements, people are cut off from important natural and cultural resources.

Spending time in Palestine is a complex experience. On one hand, people are very welcoming and hospitable, the land is beautiful, the food is incredible, and overall I am having a really great time. On the other hand, I am also bearing witness to great suffering caused by the Israeli occupation. Every day I learn more about how this occupation is impacting Palestinian families and communities, and sometimes it becomes overwhelming and feels hopeless - but I am just a visitor in this place. I hope to continue sharing the stories of my experiences here, and I plan to continue to approach my role with an attitude of humility and service. 

I am finishing up this newsletter and sending it out from a cafe in Nazareth on my 24th birthday - November 29, 2022. Tomorrow, we will pack up and return to our host communities. I can't wait to share the rest of my journey with you.

Peace,

Harper